see Alaric for
one minnit."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, indade. Ye know ALARIC, do ye?--isn't it funny how the name suits
him?--ALARIC! there are very few people a name like that would get
along with--but fits HIM all right--doesn't it? Well, he didn't know I
was alive until I dropped down from the clouds this mornin'."

"Where did you drop from?"

"New York."

"Really? How odd."

"Not at all. It's nearly as big as London and there's nothin' odd about
New York."

"Were you born there?" asked Jerry.

"I was," answered Peg.

"By way of old Ireland, eh?"

"How did ye guess that?" queried Peg, not quite certain whether to be
pleased or angry.

"Your slight--but DELIGHTFUL accent," replied Jerry.

"ACCENT is it?" and Peg looked at him in astonishment. "Sure I'VE no
accent. I just speak naturally. It's YOU have the accent to my way of
thinkin'."

"Really?" asked the amused Jerry. Peg imitated the young man's
well-bred, polished tone:

"Wah ye bawn theah?"

Jerry laughed immoderately. Who was this extraordinary little person?
was the one thought that was in his mind.

"How would you say it?" he asked.

"I'd say it naturally. I would say: 'Were ye borrn there?' I wouldn't
twist the poor English language any worse than it already is."

Peg had enough of the discussion and started off on another expedition
of discovery by standing on a chair and examining some china in a
cabinet.

Jerry turned up to the windows and drew back the curtains, threw the
windows wide open and looked up at the sky. It was once more a crystal
blue and the sun was shining vividly.

He called to Peg: "The storm is over. The air is clear of electricity.
All the anger has gone from the heavens. See?"

Peg said reverently: "Praise be to God for that."

Then she went haphazardly around the room examining everything, sitting
in various kinds of chairs, on the sofa, smelling the flowers and
wherever she went Jerry followed her, at a little distance.

"Are you going to stay here?" he reopened the conversation with.

"Mebbe I will and mebbe I won't," was Peg's somewhat unsatisfactory
answer.

"Did your aunt send for you?"

"No--me uncle."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, indade; me Uncle Nat."

"NAT?"

"Nathaniel Kingsnorth--rest his soul."

"Nathaniel Kingsnorth!" cried Jerry in amazement

Peg nodded.

"Sleepin' in his grave, poor man."

"Why, then you're Miss Margaret O'Connell?"

"I am. How did ye know THAT?"

"I was with your uncl